Evangelism Strategies, Conversion Patterns, and Membership Retention Strategies in the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Sub-Saharan Africa: Report of Findings for East-Central Africa Division of Seventh-day Adventist Church, Nairobi

Abstract

The initiative for this study began in December 2021 when a team of Seventhday Adventist educators and researchers from the Adventist University of Africa (Kenya), University of Eastern Africa, Baraton (Kenya), Rusangu University (Zambia), and Valley View University (Ghana) formed the Africa Seventh-day Adventist Study Group (ASDASG). The group’s primary aim is to use research to support the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in sub-Saharan Africa. After communicating with divisional leadership across the continent, the East-Central Africa Division and West-Central Africa Division endorsed the initiative. They provided funding for the first phase of the study. Consequently, the fieldwork was conducted between April and August 2023 in these two divisions. The analysis of findings and the report writing began in late 2023. We hope and pray that the findings and recommendations of this study will significantly contribute to advancing the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in these divisions. The Africa Seventh-day Adventist Study Group (ASDASG) conducted a comprehensive study to understand the dynamics between Evangelism Strategies, Conversion Patterns, and Membership Retention in The Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study, which used a quantitative method, aimed to interpret the demographic segment relationship between conversion patterns and retention factors. It sought to provide insights and strategies for strengthening evangelism and member nurturing within the Church in the East-Central Africa Division (ECD).